It has been such a remarkable 12 months for female sports stars– but unfortunately their year promises to finish most unremarkably, with a threatened whimper and not a confetti-sparkled bang. For who seriously, believes that Jessica Ennis, Kathryn Grainger, Sarah Storey, Ellie Simmonds or Nicola Adams will win the BBC Sports Personality of the Year 2012 award?

EvenOlympic poster girl Ennis doesn't count on being the big winner on the night of December 16. When we spoke a fortnight ago the London 2012 heptahlon gold medallist was planning on training the morning before, and the morning after the live television vote. No scheduled celebratory hangover for her. Ennis believes the big fan base underpinning tennis, and increasingly cycling, will translate into winning votes for Tour de France and Olympic winner Bradley Wiggins or tennis star Andy Murray.

Admittedly this year's extended shortlist of 12 includes five more women than last year's disgraceful all-male list - but the ramifications of that 2011 list still linger. For it appears that the selectors have tried to cover all bases. I can imagine the conversation at BBC headquarters when the judges convened, trying to squeeze gender, age, race, disability, pioneering feats, oh and don't forget to include some non-Olympic sport action, into every discussion.

For how else did double golden track cyclist Laura Trott miss the cut, or the irrepressible Sophie Christiansen? Wouldn't it have been fabulous if this year's list had been completely dominated by women? Why not eight or nine, or 12 women on the shortlist? In this year of spectacular Olympic and Paralympic girl-power triumph this should have been the year for such a dramatic statement. Now that the shortlist has been decided it will be up to the public to make the final determination - although there is still confusion about whether the award is a popularity contest or based on achievements.

Three women have won in the past 10 years: Zara Phillips in 2006, Kelly Holmes in 2004, and Paula Radcliffe in 2002. Only 13 of the 57 recipients have been female in the history of the vote. But the record books show that Ennis might be in with a better chance than she believes, for athletes have dominated the awards, winning it on 17 previous occasions, followed by Formula One (6) football (5), boxing (5), cricket (4) and tennis (3).

But isn't it time, now that we are indeed in the 21st century, that women have their own sports personality category? Why shouldn't there be a top female SPOTY every year? That way women can be recognised in their own right for their fabulous efforts rather than be subsumed by the professional - and largely male sports codes – and then fine female athletes like equestriennes Charlotte Dujardin and Christiansen, cyclists Victoria Pendleton and Trott, as well as Dani King and Joanna Rowsell, taekwondo’s Jade Jones, rowers Helen Glover, Heather Stanning and Anna Watkins can have their journeys and achievements roundly discussed over the dinner table too. All of these women have won Olympic or Paralympic gold in 2012.

For some inexplicable reason the BBC has included separate categories of honour: team of the year, overseas personality of the year, coach of the year, young sports personality of the year, unsung hero and lifetime achievement, but continue to suppress half of the population. BBC take note: its time to redress the imbalance.